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(11) | EP 4 491 559 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | SLACK BELT DETECTOR FOR A SUSPENSION MEANS ELEVATOR |
| (57) A slack belt detector with a yoke and several tensioning attachments for tensioning
a suspension means fixed to the respective attachment, each attachment having an attachment
body with an extension which engages through the yoke in order to be tensioned by
a spring element on the upper side of the yoke facing away from the suspension means,
which is supported on the one hand on the yoke and on the other hand on the extension,
and with a safety contact which responds as soon as a suspension means becomes inadmissibly
elongated, wherein the safety contact is actuated by at least one sensing device which
contacts the attachment in the area below the underside of the yoke.
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[0001] The invention relates to a slack belt detector for a suspension means elevator according to the generic term of claim 1.
[0002] The invention further relates to the correspondingly equipped elevator according to the generic term of claim 9.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
[0003] In common suspension means elevators, more than one suspension means (usually belts or ropes) are used. In order for the elevator to work properly, the suspension means must carry equal loads and the tension on the suspension means must be equal.
[0004] Various devices - mostly called slack belt detectors regardless of whether the suspension means is actually a rope - are used in the elevator industry to monitor whether one or more of the suspension means are slacked or beaking off. These devices according to the state of the art usually monitor the vertical movements of the suspension means at the top of the suspension point and therefore at the end of the suspension means (dead point). Often, the end of each suspension means is connected to and/or inserted into a tensioning attachment (or also: attachment). The tensioning attachment is for tensioning the suspension means fixed to the respective attachment, each attachment having an attachment body with an extension which engages through a yoke (preferably in or in the area of the dead point) in order to be tensioned by a spring element on the upper side of the yoke facing away from the suspension means, which is supported on the one hand on the yoke and on the other hand on the extension.
[0005] In normal condition, each suspension means will have equal load, and all the springs in the slack belt detector will be compressed to a certain, more or less identical length by the compression force. In state-of-the-art slack belt detectors, a sheet metal on top of the extensions of the attachments is designed in order to rotate around a certain axis. If the pressure force of any spring decreases, the respective extension moves upwards, forcing said sheet metal to rotate. Usually, a tab being integrally with or attached to this sheet metal activates a safety contact by pressing a roller limit switch to cut the safety circuit.
[0006] State-of-the-art slack belt detectors require a certain amount of space above extensions for the rotatable sheet metal that will trigger the switch. This causes the attachment and dead point to be positioned in a distance below the shaft ceiling that allows the sheet metal to fit in, and its rotation to be able to happen without colliding with the shaft ceiling. In an arrangement close to the shaft ceiling - where every centimeter counts in order not to waste any vertical space in the shaft - this is not a sufficient solution. In recent years, it has become more and more important to use the vertical space of the elevator shaft efficiently. The fact that the dead point and rope attachment is as close to the shaft ceiling as possible makes it possible to design an elevator suitable for reduced headroom dimensions.
THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In the light of this, it is the object or "task" of the invention to provide a means with which a slack in suspension means can be detected and which does save space in the vertical direction compared to slack belt detectors according to the state of the art.
THE SOLUTION ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION
[0009] According to the invention, a slack belt detector (or also called: slack belt device or slack rope device or slack rope detector) for a suspension means elevator is suggested. This slack belt detector is called such regardless of whether the suspension means is actually a rope or a belt. The slack belt detector comprises a yoke and several tensioning attachments (or also: attachment) for tensioning a suspension means fixed to the respective attachment. Each attachment is having an attachment body with an extension which engages through the yoke in order to be tensioned by a spring element on the upper side of the yoke facing away from the suspension means, which is supported on the one hand on the yoke and on the other hand on the extension. The slack belt detector furthermore comprises a safety contact which responds as soon as a suspension means becomes inadmissibly elongated. The slack belt detector according to the invention is characterized in that the safety contact is actuated by at least one sensing device which contacts the attachment in the area below the underside of the yoke.
[0010] Therefore, there is no need for an additional part like the sheet metal mentioned that is placed above the extensions of the tensioning attachments. Thanks to this placement, the tensioning attachments can be closer to the shaft ceiling, enabling an elevator system with lower headroom.
PREFERRED DESIGN OPTIONS
[0011] Preferably, the slack belt detector is having a yoke and a plurality of tensioning attachments arranged next to one another. Said tensioning attachments are preferably in alignment along a longitudinal axis L. Said tensioning means serve for tensioning a suspension means fixed to the respective attachment. Each tensioning attachment has an attachment body with an extension which engages through the yoke in order to be tensioned by a spring element on the upper side of the yoke facing away from the suspension means. Said spring element is supported on the yoke on the one hand and on the extension on the other hand. A safety contact is provided which is actuated as soon as a suspension means becomes inadmissibly elongated. Said safety contact is actuated by at least one sensing device which pivots - at least partly - about an axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis L. Therefore, the pivoting path of the sensing device is as little as possible. The longitudinal axis L is preferably an axis that intersects all narrow front surfaces of the attachment bodies or their imaginary extension upwards, particularly preferably this longitudinal axis L is located in or on the yoke; particularly preferably the longitudinal axis L represents an edge of the yoke.
[0012] Furthermore, it is preferred that the safety contact is located at the level of the attachment body. Therefore, the safety contact is preferably placed - in a vertical distance - under the top edge of the attachment bodies. So, said important vertical space can be saved.
[0013] It is preferred that the central part of the C-shaped bridge has a plurality of contacting extensions projecting from it for contacting the attachment bodies, preferably in such a way that in each case one contacting extension simultaneously contacts a plurality of adjacent attachment bodies. This leads to an increased simplicity and material savings.
[0014] It is also preferred that the C-shaped bridge and the safety contact are aligned relative to each other and interact in such a way that the C-shaped bridge keeps the safety contact depressed as long as no inadmissible slack is detected. This is possible, because it requires much less force to open, for example, a contact bridge switch instead of pressing a roller limit switch as it is described in the state of the art.
[0015] Further possible configurations, modes of operation and advantages result from the dependent claims and/or the subsequent description of the exemplary embodiment and/or with reference to the Figures.
FIGURE LIST
[0016]
Figure 1 shows the slack belt detector according to the invention in non-actuated position in three-dimensional view.
Figure 2 shows the bridge of the slack belt detector according to the invention in non-actuated position in three-dimensional view.
Figure 3 shows the slack belt detector according to the invention in actuated position in three-dimensional view - without showing the yoke and its possible side walls and rear wall.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 show a preferred embodiment of the slack belt detector 1 according to the invention and its parts.
[0018] The slack belt detector 1 according to the invention works in principle like slack rope devices according to the state of the art. If the pressure on the spring element 6 with any tensioning attachment 3 decreases in consequence of any slack of the suspension means, the tensioning attachment 3 moves upwards and the rotating sensing device - preferably in the form of a C-shaped bridge 10 - cuts the safety circuit.
[0019] Yet, the slack belt detector 1 according to the invention is preferably positioned on the back side of the attachments 3 rather than on top as it is shown in the state of the art. Thanks to this placement, the attachments 3 can be closer to the shaft ceiling, enabling an elevator system with lower headroom. It also does not prevent access to the attachments and the suspension means.
[0020] The slack belt detector 1 preferably consists of a yoke 2 and several tensioning attachments 3 for tensioning a suspension means fixed to the respective attachment 3. The suspension means are not shown in the Figures. Each attachment 3 consists of an attachment body 4 and an extension 5 which engages through the yoke 2 in order to be tensioned by a spring element 6 on the upper side of the yoke 2 facing away from the suspension means. These spring elements 6, preferably in the shape of coil springs, are supported on the one hand on the yoke 2 and on the other hand on the extension 5. The yoke 2 preferably also carries side walls and at least one rear wall, as it is shown in Fig. 1.
[0021] The slack rope device furthermore consists of a safety contact 7 which responds as soon as a suspension means becomes inadmissibly elongated. The safety contact 7 is actuated by at least one sensing device - preferably in the form of a bridge 10, as it is also shown in the Figures. This bridge 10 contacts the attachment 3 in most cases in the area below the underside of the yoke 2. As Fig. 1 und Fig. 2 show, the bridge 10 consists of a central part 11 with contacting extensions 12 that contact the attachments 3, preferably one contacting extension 12 contacts more than one attachment 3. The contacting extensions 12 preferably protrude through a window in the rear wall, if a rear wall is existing. Those windows preferably are placed in the dead point.
[0022] When actuated, the bridge 10 preferably pivots about an axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The preferable course of the longitudinal axis L is shown in Fig. 1. As it was described above, the longitudinal axis L is preferably an axis that intersects all narrow front surfaces of the attachment bodies 4 or their imaginary extension upwards. Preferably, this longitudinal axis L is located in or on the yoke 2. Particularly preferably, the longitudinal axis L represents an edge of the yoke 2.
[0023] The actual actuated state is shown in Fig. 3. After an elongation of a suspension means and therefore an upwards movement of one respective attachment 3, a pivoting movement of the bridge 10 is actuated. Preferably, in the non-actuated state the bridge 10 contacts all the attachments 3, and in the actuated state the bridge 10 contacts only the attachment 3 that is moved upwards through said elongation of a suspension means.
[0024] The pivoting movement of the bridge 10 has an effect onto the safety contact 7 that is preferably located at the level of the attachment bodies 4. The safety contact 7 is furthermore preferably located in the area of the narrow front surface 9 of the row formed by the attachment bodies 4, especially preferable on the outer side of a side wall. Therefore, the C-shaped bridge 10 actuates the safety contact 7 with one of its end legs 13 and is preferably acted upon at the other of its two end legs by a spring element 14 which urges the C-shaped bridge 10 into its non-actuated position. It is also preferred that the bridge 10 consists of a rotating part 15a and a fixed part 15b, both preferably designed as sheet metal parts.
[0025] The C-shaped bridge 10 and the safety contact 7 are aligned relative to each other and interact in such a way that the bridge 10 keeps the safety contact 7 depressed as long as no inadmissible slack is detected. In the actuated position, the bridge 10 that preferably forms a contact bridge, rotates and the safety contact 7 breaks the safety circuit by leaving the safety contact bridge when the rotating part is triggered by slacked suspension means.
REFERENCE LIST
[0026]
- 1
- Slack belt detector
- 2
- Yoke
- 3
- Tensioning attachment
- 4
- Attachment body
- 5
- Extension
- 6
- Spring element
- 7
- Safety contact
- 8
- not assigned
- 9
- Narrow front surface
- 10
- Bridge
- 11
- Central part of the bridge
- 12
- Contacting extension
- 13
- End leg
- 14
- Spring element
- 15a
- Rotating part of the bridge
- 15b
- Fixed part of the bridge
- L
- Longitudinal axis
1. A slack belt detector (1) with a yoke (2) and several tensioning attachments (3) for
tensioning a suspension means fixed to the respective attachment (3), each attachment
(3) having an attachment body (4) with an extension (5) which engages through the
yoke (2) in order to be tensioned by a spring element (6) on the upper side of the
yoke (2) facing away from the suspension means, which is supported on the one hand
on the yoke (2) and on the other hand on the extension (5), and with a safety contact
(7) which responds as soon as a suspension means becomes inadmissibly elongated, characterized in that the safety contact (7) is actuated by at least one sensing device which contacts
the attachment (3) in the area below the underside of the yoke (2).
2. The slack belt detector (1) preferably according to claim 1, having a yoke (2) and
a plurality of tensioning attachments (3) arranged next to one another in alignment
along a longitudinal axis (L) for tensioning a suspension means fixed to the respective
attachment (3), each attachment (3) having an attachment body (4) with an extension
(5) which engages through the yoke (2) in order to be tensioned by a spring element
(6) on the upper side of the yoke (2) facing away from the suspension means, which
is supported on the yoke (2) on the one hand and on the extension (5) on the other
hand, and with a safety contact (7) which responds as soon as a suspension means becomes
inadmissibly elongated, characterized in that the safety contact (7) is actuated by at least one sensing device which pivots about
an axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis (L).
3. The slack belt detector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the safety contact (7) is located at the level of the attachment body (4).
4. The slack belt detector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the safety contact (7) is located in the area of the narrow front surface (9) of
the row formed by the attachment bodies (4) .
5. The slack belt detector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensing device is formed by a C-shaped bridge (10), the central part (11) of
which contacts the attachment bodies (4).
6. The slack belt detector (1) according to the immediately preceding claim, characterized in that the central part (11) of the C-shaped bridge (10) has a plurality of contacting extensions
(12) projecting from it for contacting the attachment bodies (4), preferably in such
a way that in each case one contacting extension (12) simultaneously contacts a plurality
of adjacent attachment bodies (4).
7. The slack belt detector (1) according to one of the immediately preceding claims,
characterized in that the C-shaped bridge (10) actuates the safety contact (7) with one of its end legs
(13) and is preferably acted upon at the other of its two end legs (13) by a spring
element (14) which urges the C-shaped bridge (10) into its non-actuated position.
8. The slack belt detector (1) according to preferably one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the C-shaped bridge (10) and the safety contact (7) are aligned relative to each
other and interact in such a way that the C-shaped bridge (10) keeps the safety contact
(7) depressed as long as no inadmissible slack is detected.
9. An elevator having more than one suspension means and a slack belt detector (1), characterized in that the slack belt detector (1) is a slack belt detector (1) according to one of the
preceding claims.